Crusader Connection Spring 2011

A publication dedicated to the Marian/Mater Dei Catholic High School CommunityA bl d d d h M /M D C h l H h S h l C

Vol. 4 No. 1

2 Message from the President2 The Board of Directors3-4 “Men of Honor”5 Father Joe’s Thanksgiving Walk 6 Student Honor Roll7-8 Fall Sports9 Tennis Sensation, Jenny Borck10 Fall Production, “A Piece of My Heart”11 Andi Vilaboy, Class of 201312 Michael Habana, Class of 201313-17 Marian/Mater Dei Catholic “Throughout the Years”18 Alumni News18 2010 Hall of Fame19 Keeping in Touch with Alumni20 Alumni Feature, Steve Reed ‘6921 Golf Tournament22 Homecoming23-24 Verbum Dei Awards/Visitation Day 25 Walk-A-Thon26 Advancement

Ou rCOMMUN I T Y

Rev. Peter McGuine (Chair)

Rev. Peter Escalante

Sr. Maria Paz Uribe

Mr. Steven Boudreau, Esq.

Ms. Linda Bugelli

Mr. Gordon Day ‘74

Mr. Tom Finch ‘82

Mr. Wade McKnight

Mr. Edward Spriggs

Mr. Thomas Clayton Beecher, Ex-Officio

Mr. George Milke, Ex-Officio

Cover Photo: 2010-2011 Faculty & StaffThe Crusader Connection is published two times per year by Mater Dei Catholic High School. Ev-ery effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of this publication. Please ac-cept our apologies for any errors or omissions and report them to John Rey at (619) 621-5705 or [email protected]. Please note and accept our apology for the misnumbering of the last issue. The number on this issue is correct.

Director of Publications: John ReyGraphic Design/Photography: Nicole LimogesPrinter: Kings PrintingA special thank you to those who took the extra time to write/proof the articles.

Dear Friends,

As I write this letter we are celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany and I am struck by how quickly the Christmas season has passed and the New Year is underway! “Joy to the world, Peace on earth and good will toward all…” these are the powerful messages that we received during Advent. But, how do we incorporate these mes-sages into our lives? My feeling is that we have to start by taking the time to ask some basic questions about the meaning of Christmas. The answers we find might be written on our hearts if we are truly to spread the joy, peace and good will to our families and the world.

Living with the freedom, material bounty and relative safety provided by the in-dustrial world is a great gift from God which comes with a responsibility to care for each other and those less fortunate while also respecting our differences with tolerance and love. There are obvious ways that we can express this responsibility that includes donations of time, talent and treasure. But, the most important way that we can be responsible is by doing as Jesus has commanded us, to love others as we would want to be loved. It is such a simple message and the crux of Christianity. Yet, it sometimes seems to be the most difficult to practice. When all else is debated, argued and settled, the clear judgment of our faith will be how encompassing is our love? God has given us an infinitely full cup through the gift of his Son, Jesus. He has promised us that no matter how much we love there will always be an increasing supply in our reservoir. What a concept … we can never run out!

The best part of the celebration of Christmas is the reminder it gives us of our potential to care. And, the reason for our existence at Mater Dei Catholic High School is to encourage our students to develop their reservoir of love by deepening their faith and by helping those who are less fortunate than themselves. Our faculty and staff, along with our parents and friends, all have an opportunity to be teachers by the lives that they lead in fealty to the promises of Christ. All of us have a chance to show others how God can work in the world through the abundance of love we share. Let’s not think of Christmas as a season with a beginning and ending date. If we are really fortunate we will find a way to carry the celebration of Christmas in our hearts throughout the year. God Bless you all in the New Year.

Mary Mother of God, Lead us to your Son Jesus.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas Clayton BeecherPresident

MDCHS: How did you get to Marian/Mater Dei?GERKEN: I retired as a navy Captain in 1998 and my daughter, Natalie ’00 was a student at Marian and I volunteered my time as a parent volunteer. In 1999, the principal asked me to come work at Marian as the technology coordinator and help put in a local area network and help integrate technology into the school and help with fund raising. I have never looked back. It is my mission. MDCHS: Why did you select education as your post military ser-vice career choice?GERKEN: When I first started working at Marian, I thought I might like to teach high school. I was already working as an adjunct professor at the University of Phoenix teaching technol-ogy. I received my high school credential but realized during my student teaching phase that I was not one to be in the classroom 5 or 6 periods a day. I continued at Marian in the development/fundraising side of the house and then became Director of Alumni Services, the Golf Coach and now the Athletic Director.MDCHS: How much has your faith played in your career and life to this point in your life? GERKEN: Faith has always been part of my life but as one gets older you realize that it plays a much more important part of your day to day living. MDCHS: What would you say is your proudest accomplishment so far in your career? GERKEN: I have been blessed in many many ways. I have a great wife, Liz, and two fantastic children, Amy (USDHS ’94) and Natalie (Marian ’00). Command at Sea was a highlight I will al-ways cherish but being an athletic director is a dream come true.I have been blessed. GO CRUSADERS.

MDCHS: How did you get to Marian/Mater Dei?BOOKSER: I applied for the IT support position at Marian and was hired by Dr. K. She liked that I was in the Marine Corps. It definitely helped me get the jobMDCHS: Why did you select education as your post military ser-vice career choice? BOOKSER: I always wanted to work in Education and I enjoy working with Technology, so this is a great fit for me. MDCHS: How much has your faith played in your career and life to this point in your life? BOOKSER: Faith has played a big role in my career and my life. It keeps me centered when things get stressful. My faith also al-lows me to appreciate everything I have accomplished.MDCHS: What would you say is your proudest accomplishment so far in your career? BOOKSER: Graduating from Ma-rine Corps boot camp was a proud moment in my life. It was the most challenging thing I have ever done and still is. Another proud moment was being part of the planning in our move to our new campus. It was a great learning experience being part of something from the ground up. The first day of school that year was a very proud moment for me, because all of our hard work paid off. Brad serving some time in Albania.

MDCHS: How did you get to Marian/Mater Dei?

HEINEMAN: Steve was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in May 1982 through the NROTC program at the Univer-sity of Pennsylvania. He was qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer in 1985. He served on the USS Ranger (CV-61) an aircraft carrier, USS John Young (DD-973) and served as the Chief Engineer on the USS Kinkaid (DD-965) both Spruance class destroyers. Steve also served on the staff of Commander Destroyer 5. My shore tours included Offi-cer Indoctrination School in Newport, RI as an Instructor/Company Officer, Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA where I earned a M.S. in Systems Engineering and at Afloat Training Group Middle Pacific in Pearl Harbor, HI where I served as Chief Staff Officer and Director School-house Training. In early 2005, I was hired to teach Physics and Physical Science at Marian. I left after two years due to my wife being transferred to Hawaii. We returned in April 2010 to San Diego and was re-hired.MDCHS: Why did you select education as your post military ser-vice career choice?HEINEMAN: While I was in the Navy, I served two tours in the military education field. I thought that I had a knack for teaching. When I retired, I began taking education classes at Providence College and discovered that I enjoyed the challenges of teaching. MDCHS: How much has your faith played in your career and life to this point in your life? HEINEMAN: I believe that faith is an important part of a per-son’s education.MDCHS: What would you say is your proudest accomplishment so far in your career? HEINEMAN: My proudest accomplishment so far was attain-ing my teaching credential in Physics from the State of California. This particular credential is very hard to obtain.

MDCHS: Why did you select education as your post military service career choice? HUBBARD: I have always enjoyed faith-filled education. I was never trained as a teacher, but being on campus and working to set up church services/masses and seeing the kids has been great for me. MDCHS: How much has your faith played in your career and life to this point in your life? HUBBARD: Faith has given me the strength to endure all the challenges in my life. I have always been the sole provider for my family of 5 and feel as though my faith in God has helped me continue to work hard and stay focused.MDCHS: What would you say is your proudest accomplish-ment so far in your career? HUBBARD: I am very proud of my time serving this great country of ours. But my proudest accomplishment is my family. My beautiful family consists of my 3 daughters, Patricia (32), Teresa (29) and Kathy (27). I also have 3 grandkids whom I have been raising for the last few years, Alicia (13), Christina (12) and Adrian (9).

SENIORSJeffrey Alvarez

Jessica Baumgardner

Samantha Baxley

Nallely Beltran

Ariel Cabrera

Valeria Cardenas

Michael Joseph Carton

Alison Castaneda

Chelsea Chenelle

Mikayla Conlin

Nicholas Day

Claudio Gage

Diego Galan-Hoffman

Kristin Nicole Gonzales

Christine Hillmann

Anthony Jaquez-Moreno

Yin Li

Andrea Martinez-Casillas

Jose Martinez-Rebollar

Theodore Jr. Matula

Maryelc Quintero

Ricardo Rosales

Isela Ruiz

Carla Sanchez

Raul Silva-Martinez

Daniel Slovinsky

Maria-Isabel Stonehouse

Christopher Weller

J UN I ORSMaria Amaya Angela Beck Leslie Bustillo-Moreno Edith Camargo Theresa Chiappe Karely Cruz Mallory Davenport Kenny Espinoza Jack Fernandes Caleb Galvez Alexa Garcia Jocelyn Garcia Ilse Gutierrez-Nunez Jeff Guzman Thomas Hahn Alexis Hawley Vannia Hernandez Hollie Keene Stephanie Licht Viviana Marchena-Pompa Alejandro Marquez Haley Mendoza Ana Moctezuma Brandon Nguyen Teresa Padilla Eva Perez-Cecenas Isabel Rabago Jaime Ramirez Alejandro Robles Paola Torres Brianna Truffa Andres Velderrain Thomas Wright

SOP HOM ORESRoberto Ayon

Alexander Cain

Elizabeth Castillo

Annie Cox

Ivana De La Garza

Paulina De La Toba

Rodrigo Eugenio

Robert Garcia

Andres Gomez

Vera Gougoulas

Maci Guzman

Michael Angelo Habana

Salvador Juarez-Ochoa

Jorge Martinez-Gonzalez

Marco Nunez

Salvador Olivares

Aera Isabelle Palaganas

Fabiola Pena

Courtney Princell

Richard Somogyi

John Strauss

Kaitlyn Tassiello

Fernando Valenzuela

Andi Vilaboy

Elaine Yong Zhang

Ryan Garcia Paola Garcia-Prieto Brianne Go Lilian Guarneros-Amarillas MatthewCarlo Habana Jack Hahn Amanda Hernandez Philip Labuguen Rosa Lopez Marvis Machniak Mariana Martinez-Favela Sergio Medina Karina Montague Maricela Murillo

Natalia Olazabal Cara Parrella Gerardo Pedroza Colleen Ratcliff Samuel Rieta Yoav Rosenberg Justin Ryan Nikka Roanne Salazar Secilia Salem Joyce Anne Samson Daniel Septien Julia Thackrey Brandon Zora Alexis Zora

STUDENT

HONORS

FRESHMAN

Students who are listed below attained a grade point average of 3.8 and above for the 1st Semester of the 2010-2011 School Year.

FRESHMENAlonso Alzua Alejandro Arredondo Ana Bustamante Hannah Cabrera Samuel Carton Karla Castorena Jennifer Collins Christopher Conner Cristian Cudal Alexia De Loera Bryan Flores Esteban Gage Genevieve Galarpe

The Lady Crusaders finished the season with a 3-11 record and the bright spot be-ing the seven girls who participated this year, the largest number of golfers yet in one season. Led by senior and four-time varsity letter winner, Fernanda De La Parra, the girls bonded this year and fresh-man Natalia Olazabal was the team’s Most Valuable Player and received second team All Mesa League honors. Junior Guiliana Flores was the team’s Most Improved Play-er. Congratulations to Fernanda for receiv-ing All-League Honors.

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Going into the season, the “Aqua Crusaders” had their eyes set on a 3rd South Bay League banner. Led by 1st team South Bay selections; Raymond Lugo & Ivan Chavez and 2nd team selections; Mark Laturno & Jose Martinez, they gave it their all, hav-ing to overcome several injuries, resulting in a sec-ond place to Hilltop and an overall record of 16-8. Despite the injuries, despite the crazy practice times, the boys water polo team persevered and stayed competitive all the way through to their final match. Each year the aqua Crusaders have improved since the program’s inception back in 2005. They look forward to a rebuilding year next year with several seniors graduating. A Christmas present for next year; “a home to get wet in”! Yes, the Mater Dei Aquatic Center should be in place by fall of 2011, which means the water polo teams and the swim teams will have the luxury of working-out in their own pool and at their preferred times! Congratula-tions to the All-League selections listed below:

Let it never be said that Mater Dei Catholic football does not schedule-up. The Crusaders 2010 schedule consisted of several teams who were at various times in the top ten in the county as well as the state. It was a very young and inexperienced squad. At times, that inexperience surfaced and made a few of their games a tough road to hoe. Their overall record (1-9) was not as hoped, but each game exemplified that Crusader “never say die” spirit and every player gave it their best shot when they stepped onto the field. This Crusader spirit, a constant push to work even harder during the off-season and passing leagues should bode well for next year’s campaign. Those key factors, along with many returning veterans and several up and coming ju-nior varsity players, will no doubt bring Mater Dei Catholic football back to its familiar ground and play-off bound. Congratulations to the All-League selections listed below:

It seems just like yesterday that the entire Boys and Girls Cross Country team could travel to their meets in two school vans. As times have changed, 45 team members are bused to compete in cross country! Whether they were running at Morley Field, Guajome Park, Rohr Park or the beach, each runner represented MDCHS enthusiastically along with class, honor and exemplary sportsmanship!

This year’s squad was led by a strong group of veterans. Valeria Cardenas, Mallory Davenport, Joel Espinoza, Andres Gomez and Sarah Papapietro all showed great leadership skills in helping the “rookies” adapt to compet-ing at the varsity and junior varsity levels. Much of the team’s determina-tion and dedication will transfer over to track season as many runners will be heading into Crusader Stadium with the same hard work and intensity they exhibited during the cross country season.

Every solid athletic program consists of three things: dedicated coaches, dedi-cated student athletes, and consistency at each level; varsity, junior varsity and freshman. This year began that process throughout the entire program. Both junior varsity and freshman teams ex-perienced successful seasons and a new vim and vigor at every level. Not to be outdone, the varsity team was very competitive in an extremely talented and demanding conference. As a result of competing against a high caliber of teams, the varsity club was awarded a seed in the CIF playoffs in which they lost a tough battle to Palo Verde HS. The entire program exudes a “work hard and good things will happen” philoso-phy. The future of MDCHS volleyball looks bright indeed!

Over the past 4 years the girls tennis team has captured the League Title 3 times, all with the help of their #1 Singles Player, Jen-ny Borck. Jenny has an overall league record of 118-2 here at Mater Dei. Her senior year alone, she went 30-0 in league play. Jenny was the league singles champion 3 times and came in 2nd place one year. She was 1 of 6 singles players in the county who were named to the 2009 All-CIF Girls Tennis Team at the San Diego Hall of Champions last year. Jenny was also selected last year and this year to play for the Southern California Zonals team in Salt Lake City. This is a tournament where teams are formed from all across the western USA of the top players in each division and they compete against each other in one location. In the past 12 months, Jenny traveled to many states to compete in National events in order for her to improve her national ranking and work on receiving an athletic scholarship to col-lege. She finally made her way into the top 200 players in the nation! Jenny received letters from over 30 colleges offering her some kind of athletic scholarship and narrowed it to four. These 4 were Lipscomb University in Nashville, Annapolis, University of Connecticut and Xavier. Jenny talked to each of the coaches several times and decided to make an official visit to Lipscomb. Lipscomb is a small Christian school in Nashville, a college town home to Tennessee State University, Vanderbuilt and Belmont University. All 4 of the colleges in Nashville are private religious schools except for Tennessee State. Because of this, Jenny and her parents felt she would be very safe in Nashville. Lipscomb will be paying for all of Jenny’s educational cost and room and board except for about $5000 in her freshman year and Lipscomb will pay 100% in her next 3 years if Jenny plays well. This could be approximately $120,000 in scholarship money if Jenny continues to demonstrate her talent. She feels Mater Dei has prepared her well to meet the challenges of college and she is very confident she will do well there on and off the court.

MDCHS’s fall drama production was Shirley Lauro’s intense drama entitled A Piece of My Heart. The two performances of this Vietnam era play were timed superbly the weekend before Veteran’s Day.

The story revolved around the lives of six women – four nurses, one American Red Cross gal, and one guitar playing USO chanteuse – all played realistically by newcomer Robin Brown and the experienced Edith Camargo, Chelsea Chanelle, Theresa Chiappe, Frances Lopez, and Brianna Miranda. All the male roles were deftly handled by the talented Zach Bishop, Alejandro Rivera and senior Chris Burritt.

Act 1 dealt with the reasons and motivations behind each of the lady’s deci-sion to go to Vietnam, and the subsequent effects of that decision. Act 2 dealt with the aftermath of war – and the struggles the women went through re-adjusting back stateside upon their return. The audience saw the spectrum of the problems associated with war – drug and alcohol dependency, depression, Agent Orange disease, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As one student wrote in his play review: “The war was, and is, never the worst part; it is always when they get home.” In fact, another student made this astute observation: “After I watched this play I saw war from a woman’s point of view.”

The whole era came to life through the 1960s-70s music and period costum-ing. In addition, the mood was set prior to the actors’ opening lines with a brilliant short film depicting major moments of those days by seniors Sa-mantha Baxley, Kristin Gonzales, and Chris Weller. The supporting cast also made the show memorable and the crew members enabled it to run smoothly.

All in all, the show, from the poppies given out in the lobby upon enter-ing the theater, to the pre-show film, to the play’s beginning, to its end at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., the audience was entertained and enriched. We can all look forward to the spring production April 1st and 2nd, where we can hope to see some of this same remarkable talent. Come to the spring show to be entertained again by all of these enchanting actors!

–Rebecca Brown

MDCHS: What elementary school did you come from and why did you choose to come here?VILABOY: I came to Mater Dei from Saint John’s Episcopal School in Chula Vista. Not only did many of my friends plan to attend Ma-ter Dei, but the campus was beautiful and I felt that the opportunities provided to me were endless. There is so much to do here at Mater Dei, there is something for everyone. It makes me feel very welcomed and comfortable.MDCHS: What do you like most about Mater Dei?VILABOY: I truly feel that the Mater Dei community is my other family. An extended family. I enjoy how I can be myself and be accepted because I know that there is something for me to do.MDCHS: What activities do you participate in at Mater Dei?VILABOY: I am the captain of the cheer squad, as well as an Ambas-sador for Christ and a member of the Yearbook staff. MDCHS: Explain the Crusader CultureVILLABOY: The Crusader culture is simply amazing; I am proud to be a Crusader. The Crusader culture focuses on strengthening ones rela-tionship with God while learning about yourself as an individual.MDCHS: How would you describe the faith community here at Mater Dei?VILLABOY: Without a doubt the main focus of the Mater Dei community is faith. Therefore I would describe the faith community as strong.MDCHS: What role does faith play in your life on a daily basis?VILLABOY: For me faith plays a role in every thing that I do. Each day I am provided with many choices and I do my best to choose the ones that would go according to my faith. I absolutely try to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and do the right thing.MDCHS: Could you describe some of the things that you do as an Ambassador?

VILLABOY: As an Ambassador I take part in numerous activities. During an eighth grade visitation, I help eighth graders learn a little bit about Mater Dei and then tour them around the school. I helped direct the Verbum Dei Award Luncheon which awards eighth grad-ers for their excellence in academics. As an Ambassador, I get to host many “shadows” on campus, which means other kids get to visit our school for a day and go with me to all my classes. I love being an Ambassador, it’s a cool leadership opportunity.MDCHS: What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at Mater Dei?VILABOY: There are so many valuable things but the most valu-able thing I have learned would have to be that although life throws unexpected twists at you, your faith in God, family, and friends will get you through anything. I lost one of my dear friends at the be-ginning of my freshman year. I knew my friends would be there for me, but I was overwhelmed with the hospitality that the Mater Dei community gave me. They made me feel very comfortable and helped me get through that tough time. Attending Mater Dei has greatly strengthened my relationship with God which also helped me through that turbulent time. Here’s a shout-out to Mahala Say-lor, my dear friend, RIP...I love you. MDCHS: Where would you like to attend college?VILABOY: I would love to attend college at USC, UCLA, or Stan-ford. However, I also want to competitively cheer in college. For that reason I am thinking of attending Morehead State University, the University of Kentucky, Ohio State University.MDCHS: What would you like to study when you go to college?VILABOY: I would love to study psychology. Not only does the mind and how it operates completely fascinate me, but I love help-ing others. I often feel that my purpose is to help others who are ill or who simply need someone to talk to. By being a psychologist, I will be able to do just that.MDCHS: Who is your favorite teacher and why?VILABOY: Oh goodness, I love all of my teachers! However, my two favorites are my current Yearbook teacher Mrs. Kelleher and Chemistry Honors teacher Mrs. McGregor. Mrs. Kelleher is such a sweetheart and makes the classroom feel like home with her sometimes silly assignments and constant energy! She also taught me English Honors my freshman year. Mrs. McGregor also makes class fun, while it is difficult, I enjoy working hard to accomplish my academics. I have the utmost respect for Mrs. McGregor. How she makes Chemistry look effortless, I have no clue! MDCHS: What do you admire most about your parents?VILABOY: What I admire most about my parents is their drive to encourage me in my studies and place me in a wonderful school.MDCHS: What would you want people to know about you as a person?VILABOY: I want people to know me to who I am as an individual. I try to do the best I can with each day. I am a loyal friend who ab-solutely adores the people around me. Sometimes I get a little goofy, but I love laughing and having a good time. Oh, and I love glitter! MDCHS: What would you want people to remember about you after you leave Mater Dei? VILABOY: After I leave Mater Dei, I want people to remember me as the enthusiastic cheer captain whose drive for academics, constant bright smile, goofy laughter, and extreme love of glitter influenced all of those around her. Overall, I just want to be remembered as someone who impacted the Mater Dei community in a positive way.

MDCHS: What elementary school did you come from and why did you choose to come here?HABANA: I attended Saint Michael Academy Paradise Hills. I actu-ally had a hard decision to make because most of my classmates were taking the entrance exam at a different Catholic School. And literally, as I was walking out of our garage door on the day of the exam, I felt a calling to take the exam at Mater Dei, and I chose right. MDCHS:What do you like most about Mater Dei?HABANA: The closeness of the students is what I like most about Mater Dei. Almost everyone knows each other. MDCHS:What activities do you participate in at Mater Dei?HABANA: The activities that I participate in at Mater Dei are ASB, APIC (Asian-Pacific islander club), Campus Ministry, Choir, and the Ambassador for Christ Corp. MDCHS:What leadership opportunities have you had here at Mater Dei?HABANA: My freshman year I was treasurer for the freshman class, and this year I am Vice President for the sophomore class. MDCHS:How would you describe the Crusader culture if you had to explain what it meant to come here to your friends?HABANA: It’s a friendly and chill environment here. People are al-ways willing to talk to you and be your friend. Everyone has a place here, no one is excluded. MDCHS:How would you describe the faith community here at Ma-ter Dei?HABANA: The faith community here at Mater Dei is very strong. Mass, retreats, and adoration help us all grow closer to God. The teachers here are also very Christ-Centered. Something I really ad-mire here is that there is always confession every first Friday of the month in the Chapel. MDCHS:What role does faith play in your life on a daily basis?HABANA: Daily prayers at home and in our classrooms at Mater Dei strengthen my faith and play an important role in my life because it helps me build a strong moral base so that I could make Christ-centered decisions. MDCHS:How do you like being part of the Ambassador for Christ program?HABANA: I feel very much honored to be an Ambassador. I like to meet new and different people, to serve the community and promote the school. MDCHS:Can you tell me a little bit about the community service that you’ve done at Mater Dei?HABANA: Here at Mater Dei, I’ve helped mostly in ASB, painting posters, and setting up for school functions. As an Ambassador, I have taken some students as shadows and I have participated in the Japa-nese sister school event. MDCHS:What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at Mater Dei?HABANA: The most valuable thing I have learned at Mater Dei is to always keep family and friends important in your life. MDCHS:Where would you like to attend college?HABANA: I really haven’t decided on where I would want to attend, but on my list I have UCSD, SDSU, USD, UCI, and UC Berkeley. MDCHS:What would you like to study when you go to college?HABANA: Any form of engineering; mostly civil, aeronautical, or computer. MDCHS:Who is your favorite teacher and why?HABANA: I actually have 5 favorite teachers. The first is Mrs. An-geles because she is so nice and caring. The second is Mrs. Kelleher

because she is just so much fun to be around. The third is Mrs. McGregor because I have so much respect for her and she tells the best stories. And the other two are, Ms. Biedenbach, and Mr. Infantino because they are so chill. MDCHS:What do you admire most about your parents?HABANA: What I admire most about my parents is how they have sacrificed so much to send me and my brother to Catholic school our whole lives. I also admire their strong faith life. MDCHS:What would you want people to know about you as a person?HABANA: I would want people to know that I taught myself how to play a right-handed bass, even though I am left-handed. MDCHS:What would you want people to remember about you after you leave Mater Dei? HABANA: I want people to remember me as being the guy who was always around the campus to help. MDCHS:Do you have any siblings? If so how old are they?HABANA: I have one sibling and his name is Matthew. We are 15 months apart; he is one grade younger than me, and he is also in Mater Dei. MDCHS:What makes the class of 2013 stand out? What will people remember from your class as a whole?HABANA: What makes my class stand out is our well rounded-ness, as individuals, and as a whole. I have many classmates who are in many advanced classes and are also in multiple extracur-ricular activities. Everyone is doing something, from singing in the choir to helping out in a theater production, or playing a sport. MDCHS:What is the most challenging class you’ve taken at Ma-ter Dei?HABANA: The most challenging class is Chemistry with Mrs. Mcgregor. MDCHS:What are some of the activities that you participate in outside of school?HABANA: The activities that I participate in outside of school are playing bass guitar with my band named Hello Holiday, and playing for my church choir at Saint Michael Parish.

On September 30, 2010 the following Crusaders were inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame class.

Over 100 alums, family and friends were in at-tendance. The Hall of Fame Wall now features three classes of Hall of Fame Inductees.

The next night, after the win against Del Norte, the alumni met in the gym for the annual post game homecoming party. Fun was had by all. You can visit the alumni portal of the Crusader Web site to download a nomination form for the Hall of Fame Class of 2011.

Coach Robin Brainard, Shelly Huskey ’89, Scott Boies ’64, Karen Ritz ’89, Pam Sackrider ’88, Coach Manny Silva, Wendy Modic ’85, Jim Grady ’73, Coach Donna Judge ’82, Mike

Stockhalper ’77, Jennifer Qualls ’88, Darby Seegrist ‘88

Dear fellow Crusaders,

Fifty years ago Marian High School opened its doors as the first co-educational high school in the Diocese of San Diego. We have already helped celebrate this occasion by hosting a memorial Mass, our 3rd Sports Hall of Fame Induction, and a great Homecoming game and party in 2010. We still have a number of events to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our Crusader tradition. On February 12, 2011, we will host a Valentine’s Day Mass and encourage all Crusaders to attend. In March, the school will present its first “Dis-tinguished Alumni” Award. The school will continue the celebration with the 50th Anniversary Dinner/Auction and Battle of Bands on May 21. I hope many of you will be able to attend some of these events.

The traditions that started at Marian continue at Mater Dei Catholic. I hope that many of you will consider helping with our Alumni Scholarship fund and becoming active in our Crusader Alumni Association. This year the school awarded its first Alumni Scholarship to children of Crusaders attending Mater Dei. We would like to continue to do this. You can make a donation online via the school’s website or send a check to the school and indicate “Alumni Scholarship Fund” in the memo section. Please consider giving back so others can follow in our footsteps.

The Alumni Association is here to support Crusader Alumni. If you would like to get more involved or have suggestions for the Alumni Association please let me know. If you’d like more information about the Crusader Alumni Association events and activities, please visit the MDCHS web site. You can also get information via our “Marian and Mater Dei Crusaders Alumni Association” page on Facebook. It’s a great time to get involved and continue the Crusader tradition.

Truly yours,

Carlos Varela ‘89President, Crusader Alumni Association

Mary and her husband were blessed with their first two grandchildren – Adam John (San Diego) and Baby Olivia (Washington DC). In addi-tion, Mary was named a finalist for San Diego Magazine’s Woman of the Year and received a prestigious recognition from the University of San Diego. Mary’s picture now hangs in Hill Hall along with Ellen Browning Scripps, UCSD’s Roger Revelle, Sen. Dede Alpert and other laudable San Diegans who have helped transform education.

Upon graduation from Marian, Patrick continued his education at Gross-mont College followed by a year and a half studying for the priesthood with the Priests of the Sacred Heart. In 1970, he began a 33 year career with the US Postal Service. Since then, he has pursued his dream of pho-tography and web design.

Blanc lives in Guadalajara, Jalisco. She worked for the Universidad de Guadalajara, Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara and Tec de Mon-terrey. She is a retired teacher, but still works as a translator. She has 3 children, two boys and a girl.

On November 2, Pat was elected with a 81% margin to the Montana State Legislature representing the southern half of Ravalli County, which is the Bitterroot Valley. Forestry is a big issue in my district, and will proudly serve as the first Certified Forester ever in the Legislature. He thinks of his Marian classmates more often the more time passes. Besides friends, he still misses the smell and sound of good surf ! He has been married to his wife, Patty, nearly 39 years.

Susan graduated in economics UCSD ‘74, Law degree and MBA from UC Berkeley. She spent 5 years in Washington DC as Counsel to US House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee and worked as the Senior Project Attorney at Natural Resource Defense Council. She moved to Santa Fe, NM in 1983 and married Richard Martin, a theoreti-cal chemist with a PhD from UC Berkeley in 1986. Susan spent 7 years as Planner Director at New Mexico Environment Department. Today both are employed by Los Alamos National Laboratory concentrating on non-defense issues such as energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. She is the volunteer Political Chair for the Sierra Club in New Mexico, an appointed member of Santa Fe County’s Development Review com-mittee (it determines sustainable land use policy) and a mentor at Cesar Chavez Elementary School for 2nd and 3rd graders.

Patricia has been married to James for 8 years. They have 5 kids between them, 6 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild. She teaches at Mt. Helix Academy and has been working here for 13 years.

Viola just celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary with her husband Luis. They relocated to the Sunshine state six years ago, and she took the helm of PS Business Parks’ new South Florida Division. Their two kids, Luis Cortez, 11, and Zahra,10, are loving life in South Florida.

John is in his 3rd year as Head Men’s Volleyball Coach at Mesa College. He is also an assistant coach for the Olympians’ women’s volleyball program and an adjunct professor in the college’s Dept. of Physical Education, Health Education, and Dance. He will com-plete his Master’s degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University in 2011, and is active in USA Volleyball’s High Performance program. He and his wife Sandi, are the proud parents of seven year-old Kimi.

Dr. Dennis O’Brien and his wife Mari Rios will be renewing their vows in Feb, 2011 as they celebrate 18 years of marriage. They have two children, DJ (8) and Briana (11). Dennis has been providing chiropractic treatment at their downtown Chula Vista office for the past 10+ years. Feel free to contact either of them, they would love to hear from you ([email protected]).

Jorge graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree Latin American Studies. After UCSB, he traveled to Brazil for three months to reconnect with Leonardo J. Mendes, a friend and former classmate at MCHS who was a foreign exchange stu-dent. Upon returning to San Diego, he attended Thomas Jefferson School of Law and obtained his J.D. in 2009. As a law student, Jorge volunteered at the San Diego Legal Aid Society and in June 2009, received awards for outstanding service and the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services. In May 2010, he was admit-ted into the State Bar of California and began his career as an at-torney. He joined his father, Jorge O. Gonzales (MCHS ’67), and his partner, Raymond H. Wood (MCHS ’67), at the Law Offices of Wood and Gonzales in the South Bay of San Diego. Most recently, Jorge became involved with the MDCHS Dr. Kassebaum Memorial Scholarship as a mentor for the Pay It Forward Leadership Service Project.

Immediately after graduation, I moved to Boston, MA, where I attended Wentworth Institute of Technology. I graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture Degree in 2007 and with a Master of Architecture in 2010. I am currently working on the World Trade Center project in New York City. Carlos manages the day-to-day construction issues, such as maintaining a tight schedule and budget, as well as any other design issues that may arise on the construction site. Tower 3, a 69-story building, is expected to be completed by July of 2015. I currently live in New York City with my brother.

- Sergio is in his senior year at SDSU with one semester to go. He is graduating with a B.S. in Kinesiology (Pre-Physical Therapy) and minor in Psychology. Sergio worked for a year as an EMT and is currently doing an internship at the SDSU re-habilitation and therapy clinic. He would like to continue on to get his masters in Physical Therapy and work in the rehabilitation area, especially with children with disabilities.

Please email Bill Gerken at [email protected] with informationabout you, so we can tell the Crusader Community.

MDCHS: What do you remember most about the spirit of your class at Marian?REED: If you looked at the class of ‘69 from the outside it appeared that it was just a loose knit group of students going in the same di-rection separately. But if you looked at the class from the inside you would have seen a group of good close friends. The class of 1969 was a ‘rag tag’ group of students from various family backgrounds and different elementary schools but as a class were united. The unity of the class was well represented in it’s spirit and motivation.MDCHS: What do you remember most about your experience at Marian?REED: I think what I remember most was the fact that Marian was more like an extended family rather than a high school. The rela-tionship amongst the students and with the teachers was so com-fortable that I never felt out of place. I always felt safe and happy and looked forward to going to school. MDCHS: What teacher or administrator inspired you the most at Marian?

REED: There were a number of Marian High School teachers, administrators and coaches that influenced my life, including Jan Chapman, Gray Elliot and Father Dolan but probably the one that inspired me the most was Father Leo F. Lamphire. Father Lamphire was the principal at Marian when I arrived in 1965. When Father Lamphire first met me I think he realized that I was small and bashful and he quickly took me under his wing. Father Lamphire mentored me during his time at Marian and pushed me to be the best person, student and athlete that I could be. Father Lamphire made we realize that probably the biggest obstacle you have to face in life is yourself.MDCHS: What sports and or clubs did you participate in at Marian?REED: I participated in baseball 4 years, football 4 years, basketball 3 years and ran track after baseball practice. while at Marian. I also belonged to the student council and the Block M Club.MDCHS: What is the importance of Catholic education? REED: A good education is important but a Catholic education is invaluable. To be allowed to receive an education while still practice and being influenced by your faith becomes a corner stone for the rest of your life. MDCHS: How much has education played in your career and life in general?REED: Education allows the scales to be tipped in your favor in regards to job and/or promotional opportunities. Education al-lows you to get your foot in the door in whatever field you choose.MDCHS: How much has your faith played in your career and life to this point in your life?REED: My faith has centered me in both my life and my career. My faith has a calming effect on me and has allowed me to stay focused on the task at hand both in my career and personal life. My career has placed me in a number of perilous situations, some which could be described as life threatening, but my faith has allowed me work through the event knowing that I’m being watched and protected.MDCHS: What would you say is your proudest accomplishment so far in your career? REED: Probably the proudest accomplishment in my career so far was in 1978 while working as a uniformed police officer with the National City Police Department. My niece is autistic and her teacher asked if I could come to her class and speak to the other autistic students as a Police Officer. The teacher wanted to explain to the students that Police Officers are their friends. After I finished speaking I had lunch with the students. The next day I was contacted by the teacher who explained that Tommy had never finished a full mea before and had never eaten vegetables but did so because I had finished my lunch. It was humbling that my position had that big of an impact on someone. And on a personal note, my son.MDCHS: As a member of the Class of 1969 Crusaders at Marian, is there any advice that you would give to current Crusaders at Mater Dei Catholic?REED: The advice that I would give to current Crusaders at Mater Dei Catholic would be to remember that your biggest obstacle is yourself. You can achieve anything you want too…just believe in yourself. Also I would tell them that high school will be one of the most cherished times of their lives and to enjoy every single minute. Don’t look back in twenty years and I wish I would have done something different during your high school years at Mater Dei Catholic.

Over 120 golfers arrived early to enjoy the taco feast prior to teeing it up for the four person best ball scramble at Salt Creek Golf Club on Sunday, November 14. Following the round of golf with the championship won by the Olazabal Four-some of Jose Olazabal (father of Natalia ’14 – Freshman All Mesa League Lady Crusader Golfer), Luis Ramirez, Bill Rivera and Jose Leyva. During dinner, a silent auction was held, as well as a raffle with a wonderful dinner. Lots of fun was had by everyone. The 35th Annual Crusader Golf Tournament will be held at

Bonita Golf Club next year on the Chargers Bye Weekend.

8th Grade Visitation Day

New Students on campus

Students enjoyed a tour of campus, presentations in every department, a rally in the gym

and pizza for lunch!

The rug crawl was a hit, along with the name that tune and

the dance off!

She was selected because of her servant’s heart. She is a “go to” student when things need to be done, big or small. She models

true Catholic Christian values to her teach-ers and peers on a daily basis.

He is well known for his excellent manners, giving attitude, and positive interactions with students and faculty alike. He is our school’s finest role model as a “Christian

Gentleman” for the younger students.

She is known in our school for her quick, warm smile. She knows what it is to be

a peacemaker. Because she embodies the “Peace of Christ” in her everyday manner, she is loved by students and faculty alike.

He is a quiet and thoughtful young man that makes his words count when he speaks.

Like St. Francis of Assisi, he leads by his actions and uses words when necessary.

They are faith filled individuals not afraid to walk with Our Lord. They have a compas-sion and humbleness about them, especially with the little ones. They give up their time in order to be of help to the school and the community. They are not afraid to stand up

for what is right.

She is a quiet leader who has the respect of her peers – she is a great listener and offers sound and sensible advice. She reminds me of the Blessed Mother. The word “kindness” characterizes this young lady. She treats her classmates with respect and gentleness and

models this positive behavior for others. She makes the classroom a comfortable, ac-cepting place for everyone to be. She brings Christ’s love to others through her actions,

smiles, and words.

They are amazing young people and definitely stand out among their class-mates. They embrace their faith and are

not swayed by, ever present, peer pressure.

On Wednesday, November 10th, 2010, 58 students from 29 parochial schools attended the 12th Annual Verbum Dei Awards Luncheon hosted by Mater Dei Catholic High School. Notable in attendance included Msgr. John Dolan, Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Par-ish and former Chairman of the Mater Dei Catholic High School Board of Directors who offered the Invocation and, Mr. Stevan Laaperi, Director of the Diocese of San Diego’s Office for Schools, who shared some of the words that were expressed about the nominees by their principals. In addition to the students and their principal or eighth grade teachers, many were also accompanied by their parents who had the pride and joy of witnessing their sons and daughters receive their certificates. The Verbum Dei Awards are granted to a boy and girl from each parochial school in the diocese who demonstrate outstanding leadership and commitment in the field of Christian service. They must be selected for the award by their school principal. It is obviously a great honor to be recognized but it is also an acknowledgement of a beginning in a life of service. Many of these young men and women will be the same students who in the next few years will be instrumental in parish and school ministry leadership experiences. They are truly God’s hands here on earth in the work that they do to bring light into the world. Mater Dei Catholic High School congratulates them again for their wonderful achievements and we look forward to their contin-ued dedication to the ideals of service that they have already instilled.

Verbum Dei Awards

On October 29, 2010 the students of Mater Dei participated in our annual Student Walk-a-thon in Crusader Stadium. The student body raised over $29,000, a Marian/Mater Dei all-time high, for tuition assistance while having a lot of fun along the way. The dunk tank was a huge hit with courageous members of our faculty, staff and administration taking turns get-ting soaked by our students for the good of the school. On the day of the walk, the student body dressed up in Halloween costumes as they walked around the track while Z90 played tunes. Since over 80% of the student body participated in the walk, Mr. Milke graciously gave everyone a day off from school on February 7, 2011, which happens to be the day after the Super Bowl. All in all, the Walk-a-thon was a huge success. We are very proud of our students for their hard work in help-ing to raise additional funds to augment our tuition assistance program.

To those of you who have already contributed to this year’s Annual Crusade, we sin-cerely and gratefully thank you. To those of you who are considering a gift, please do so with the full consideration of the impact your gift will have on the students of Mater Dei. The Annual Crusade runs from July 1 to June 30 of each school year and includes all of our fundraising efforts which help augment our school’s operating budget. So far to date the Annual Crusade has raised over $180,000. As we approach the end of our fiscal year, please consider your support of Mater Dei as particularly meaningful, knowing that your gift is truly one that will impact lives for years to come.

On January 18, 2011 two stained glass windows were installed in the Marian Chapel in the rose and narthex window. The rose window depicts the Holy Family and the narthex window depicts Chi Rho which are the first two letters of Christ’s name in Greek. The windows were generously donated by Jeffrey & Lorrilee Weller. We are in the process of raising funds for the 14 clerestory windows which will be located on either side of the chapel. If you are interested in donating a stained glass window in memory of a family member or loved one, please contact John Rey at (619) 621-5705 or at [email protected] if you would like more information about donating a stained glass window.

All gifts received in response to this campaign will be recognized in the annual report that will be produced this summer. To properly recognize our many donors, we have decided to inaugurate Annual Crusade giving levels as follows: Heritage Society $5,000 + President’s Society $1,000 - $4,999 Blue & Gold Club $400 - $999 Crusader Club $100 - $399 Friend Up to $99

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at (619) 621-5705 or at [email protected]. Thanks for your continued support of Mater Dei Catholic High School.

Please consider extending your generosity beyond your life time by naming MDCHS in your will.

Mater Dei Catholic High School1615 Mater Dei Drive

Chula Vista, CA 91913Phone 619.423.2121

www.materdeicatholic.org

12 Alumni Valentine’s Mass & Reception22 10th Grade Re-registration23 11th Grade Re-registration24 12th Grade Re-Registration/Senior Retreat28 Multicultural Week Begins

04 Culture Night05 Parochial Schools Academic Decathlon08 9th Grade Registration A-M10 9th Grade Registration N-Z23 Career Day25 Distinguished Alumni Induction

18 Easter Break Begins24 Easter Sunday

11 Grandparents Day for 9th & 12th May Crowning Liturgy14 Senior/Junior Prom20 ESLR Presentations - Grade 1221 50th Anniversary Celebration25 Spring Award Ceremony26 Senior Grad Night at Disneyland

02 Senior Exams Begin06 Final Exams Begin for Grades 9-1109 Senior Luncheon Banquet & Baccalaureate Mass10 Graduation27 Summer Session Begins

For the most up to date ca l endar and s chedule , p l ease vi s i t w w w. m a te r d e i c a t h o l i c . o r g.